A day after Prime Minister Narendra Modi led in a roadshow in Kalaburagi, All India Congress Committee (AICC) general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra too participated in a massive roadshow in the city on Wednesday.
Cheered by the crowd, Ms. Vadra stood atop a vehicle as she waved to them. The Congress supporters and workers who came from the city areas and the taluk places moved along the vehicle during the 3-km roadshow. People who came to have a glimpse of Ms. Vadra showered flowers and garlands on her.
A large number of women raised slogans in favour of Ms. Vadra throughout the roadshow.
Congress leaders contesting from various constituencies in Kalaburagi district, Priyank Kharge, Ajay Singh, Kaneez Fatima and Allamprabhu Patil, accompanied her.
Addressing a crowd at Jagat Circle after the roadshow, Ms. Vadra referred to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s dream of making Karnataka the Number One State in the country and asked who prevented him from realising his dream.
“Today morning Mr. Modi said that he was dreaming of making Karnataka the most developed State. Wow. You dreamt. You are so strong and so intelligent. You dreamt and your dream is not realised? Who dared to shatter your dream? I tell you. It was your BJP government in the State that shattered your dream of making Karnataka the most developed State in the country. What were you doing, Prime Minister? What were you doing when loot was ruling the roost? Were you simply dreaming with your eyes closed? Were you sleeping and dreaming when the contractors association wrote a letter? If he [Mr. Modi] wants to sleep or to be awake, it is his problem. But, you [people] should be aware and protect your State from these looters. If you are aware, nobody can mislead you,” she said.
Criticising the Union government for its policies, Ms. Vadra said that the BJP government at the Centre, with its GST and demonetisation strikes, broke the backbone of the small and medium-scale industries.
“With GST and demonetisation strikes, the BJP government at the Centre broke the backbone of small and medium scale industries that could have generated jobs on a large scale. It sold out the big PSUs to its corporate friends. These measures left you unemployed,” she told the youths gathered at the public meeting.
Referring to the Congress-led UPA government’s contribution to the development of Kalyana Karnataka, including the special status accorded to the region by Article 371(J) of the Constitution, Ms. Vadra commended AICC president Mallikarjun Kharge for his relentless efforts to get such monumental work done by the UPA government for the region.
“It was because of Mr. Kharge’s persistent efforts that Kalyana Karnataka region got Article 371(J). It is because of his efforts that the region got many huge projects such as ESI Hospital. He has done a lot for you and your region. We have a lot of respect for him. I appeal to you to vote for Congress candidates. You have to elect Priyank Kharge, son of Mallikarjun Kharge, with a massive margin and he will work for you just as his father did,” Ms. Vadra said.
